Steroid Treatment Duration Statistics

In this post, we examine a range of statistics related to the use and duration of systemic corticosteroid treatment across various medical conditions. From the prevalence of corticosteroid usage in the general population to specific durations of treatment in different patient groups, these statistics shed light on the widespread and varied use of this common medication.

Statistic 1

"2-year cumulative incidence of use of systemic corticosteroids was 6.7% in the general population,"

Statistic 2

"About 0.5% to 0.9% of the general population utilizes long-term systemic glucocorticoid therapy of 3 months or longer,"

Statistic 3

"Around 6.5% of users ceased treatment within 3 months,"

Statistic 4

"In a study, median treatment duration was 14 days (interquartile range 8 –21 days) for prednisone-treated patients,"

Statistic 5

"The standard length of steroid treatments often lasts 5 to 14 days,"

Statistic 6

"Almost 40% of patients with giant cell arteritis were taking prednisolone for 4 years or longer,"

Statistic 7

"8 out of 10 children suffering from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy were given steroids for a duration of at least 6 months,"

Statistic 8

"Steroids are often given in short courses of 3-5 days for asthma flareups in children,"

Statistic 9

"Almost half of asthma patients in the US had reported using systemic corticosteroids in the past 12 months,"

Statistic 10

"A study in the Netherlands showed that 64.4% of patients were still using steroids after 3 months of treatment,"

Statistic 11

"Some 3% of adults aged 20–44 years use systemic steroids for three months or longer,"

Statistic 12

"Anti-inflammatories like corticosteroids are used in 90% of sarcoidosis cases,"

Statistic 13

"Nearly 1 in 5 patients with rheumatoid arthritis were noted to continue the use of glucocorticoids for more than 10 years,"

Statistic 14

"In a study, 88.7% of patients with dermatomyositis/polymyositis were treated with glucocorticoids during their disease,"

Statistic 15

"In a study, a median treatment with systemic corticosteroids in cases of severe pneumonia was 7 days,"

Statistic 16

"Some patients with severe chronic rhinosinusitis may need systemic corticosteroid therapy for longer than three months,"

Statistic 17

"Prednisone, a common corticosteroid, is often initially prescribed at a 40-60mg daily dose for 4 to 8 weeks in adult nephrotic syndrome patients,"

Statistic 18

"The 5-year cumulative incidence of corticosteroid use in patients diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma was 78.7%,"

In summary, the use of systemic corticosteroids varies widely across different medical conditions and patient populations, with treatment durations ranging from short courses of a few days to long-term therapy extending over years. While some patients may discontinue treatment within a few months, others may require corticosteroids for extended periods to manage chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and sarcoidosis. The findings suggest the importance of individualized treatment approaches based on specific medical needs and ongoing monitoring to minimize potential risks associated with prolonged corticosteroid use.